The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-11-22

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"You must retire, Captain" said
Papa Pierre to the officer; "but will
remain here. / have some cartridges
left; / shall fire them off Col"
"Never" exclaimed the Captain.
1--WE shall die here"
81 tell you to retire; you are re-
sponsible before God and before the
country for the life Of your men. To
remain here is simply madness and not
bravery. How can you defend this
village with guns against cannons, with
twelve men against five hundred?"
sit is better to die on French soil in
fighting than in German prison"
"But you will not be taken: leave
Immediately that barricade that you
can not hold any longer; turn on the
right when you reach the end of the
village, and take refuge in the for.
est"
"And your"
al! am too old to walk"
1--WE shall carry yoa."
"No, thanks; In this village / was
born; in this village want to die; be-
sides that 1 confide my Jacquelinc to
you, Captain. Have you any children
yourself?"
-Four"
"Then / am tranquil on her fate.
Adieu, Captain! Adieu. soldiers, my
young comrades, and Vive Ia Francem
The Germans advanced. The firing
had decreased on the French side; all
at once it ceased completely. Papa
Pierre had no more cartridges left
He opened his door, entered his
cabin, threw glance on the likeness
of his granddaughter, then on wooden
crucifix and awaited the enemy.
One by one the Germans climbed
over the barrIcade.
'Ah! there he is, the old devil" ex-
claimed a six-foot corporal. 81 was
sure of seeing him firing at u.s."
That Corporal. Hermann by name,
had been a workman in the village of
Chaille for years. and he knew every
inhabitant intimately.
A Colonel, pushing his way through
his soldiers, said to Papa Pierre:
"Show your hands, man."
The old man showed his hands. They
were black with powder.
kill him." yelled the officer.
Herman thrust his bayonet in the
breast of the old man. A moment Papa
Pierre staggered on his legs, then fell
face downward.
The brave patriot, the valiant soldier
was dead.
"Quick-bring some straw cried
the officer. LET us burn that village
as we did BazeilIe. That will teach a
lesson to these rascals of Frenchmen."
III.
Hermann had not left the house; he
lighted a candle and descended into the
cellar.
All! ha! He was to get good drink
of Papa Pierre's wine. The old scoun-
drel; so it was he who had resisted his
comrades so long and killed not few
of them. He had no regret for having
assassinated a defenseless enemy, the
man who had protected his home. Had
he not refused him the hand of his
granddaughter and promised it to
Francois, a soldier of the Third Zou-
ayes? In regard to him, Hermann had
joined the German army-as he was
in duty bound to do, being a German
and he had always wished for thing,
which was to return in the village
where he had found hospitality and
work when in need of both to settle his
account with Papa Pierre, the vine
dresser.
And his wish had been granted.
He was in the middle of his Joyful,
reflections when he heard somebody
calling Hermann, HERMANN He
recognized the voice of Jacqueline,
who. regaining her senses. had refused
to follow the Captain and his men. and
had returned in search of her grand
father from the top OF the ladder con-
Quoting to the cellar. She was look
ing inside and she saw the assassin
corporal, whom she knew well.
Hermann. in the name of God, did
you see my grandfather"
"Well, yes, l did. Now. will you be
my wife?" asked he, drinking from a
bottle that he had taken in the cellar.
''Oh, Hermann, tell me where he
is"
"Where he is? My dear and hand
some Frenchwoman, il they have not
changed his resting place he is there
on the floor near the table, where /
stretched him with my bayonet."
He tried TO climb up the ladder.
loaded with bottles.
"Oh, miserable wretchr' exclaimed
Jacqueline.
Quicker than the wind, at the mo-
ment when the head of the German